There were traps and pitfalls galore in the dungeon. Daybreak was no stranger to them. He had scars wrapping the circumfrance of his hock from a ring of spikes he'd stepped into as a foal, and a sizable gash across one side of his neck where a swinging blade had caught him just high enough to be anything other than lethal. He had been lucky for a few years, all spindly limbs and knocking knees and wild-eyed fright. Then, in time, he learned to recognize the warnings. What had been luck became confidence. Marinell reminded Daybreak inevitably of his younger self-- born of the very stones, displaced from the other Coursers, yet not quite at home in the dungeons either. For years Darling had been Daybreak's only companion. At the very least, Marinell would not have to be so lonely. 

Daybreak had somewhat lost track of their overall mission, since they stumbled upon the foal in the dark. His day to day was taken up with providing for the youngster who had become his defacto ward. They had not become lost, but their search had been... less than efficient, and Daybreak knew Jasmine had begun to suspect that. Everywhere he turned the mare's eyes followed him. He met her with a blithe little shrug and lead with every confidence, and for that neither Cyneric nor Marinell raised any questions. 

No doubt Jasmine would be the mind behind Cyneric's throne. 

"Are you quite sure you know where we're going?" Jasmine asked with every bitter doubt. 

"Princess," Daybreak sighed expansively, "I have lived in the dungeons my entire life. No doubt I know 'em better'n you do your pretty palace." 

"Then why--" 

Jasmine did not get to finish her accusation, as Cyneric's hoof landed upon a switch toward one side of the hall. With a resounding clunk, something within the very walls began to shift. Marinell squealed and scurried to safety behind Daybreak's hocks. Jasmine balked, wheeled to face her fiance, looking equal parts incredulous and frantic. 

"Really?!" she scolded. 

"Sorry!" Cyneric jerked his hoof back off the switch, which didn't seem to do anything. Metal and stone continued to grind on the other side of the walls. "I didn't see--" 

"Too late to worry now!" Daybreak snapped, and hooked his leonine tail around the foal. A coiling green mist had gathered about their legs, throwing wisps towards the ceiling and dragging with it the unmistakable stench of rot-- no, not rot. Rot came with a cloying sweetness, the chalky breath of mold in the air, but this... Daybreak had no words at all for the stinging stink of this poisoned air. His blood ran cold. "The door-- Run! Now!" He gave Marinell's rump a little kick, spurring the foal forward. Running blind was never Daybreak's preferred method for dealing with anything in these halls, but now they had no choice. No choice at all. 

Cyneric whipped past Daybreak without a second glance. Jasmine came hot on his heels, gagging from the smell. Daybreak fell in last, kept bright eyes fixed on his charges, running a constant headcount-- one, two, three, one, two, gods he was dizzy. It didn't even stink anymore, really. There was too much of it. One step fell badly and Daybreak staggered to the left, crashed into the wall, struggled to right himself. His own panicked breathing made the spinning so much worse, and though he tried to haul himself back to his feet they would not stay under him. One, two, three-- Daybreak watched three tails vanish through the doorway. It was the last thing he saw. Then, darkness, and the gentle chittering of a worried dragon.